


Nice to Meet You

by SgtLeppard



Category: Def Leppard
Genre: First Meetings, Gen, poor flustered steve, vivian has a fanboy moment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:16:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28265280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SgtLeppard/pseuds/SgtLeppard
Summary: Steve was in the record store looking for an album for Sav. What he found was a completely different album and a new friend.
Relationships: Steve Clark & Vivian Campbell
Kudos: 5





	Nice to Meet You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [helena_s_renn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/helena_s_renn/gifts).



> This is my first time fulfilling someone's Ficmas wish on Rockfic. I really hope you like it, helena!
> 
> Prompt: chance encounter in the early 80s

The record store had a pretty interesting selection, but it seemed clear to Steve that it was stuck in the 70s with the wall of disco albums he was looking at. Disco wasn't really something that caught Steve's ear, but it had apparently caught Sav's, and the bassist had asked him if he could look for a copy of ABBA's latest album. He wasn't sure how a two year old album was 'latest', but he didn't press the issue. After all, Let It Be could very well be called the Beatles' latest album. Not to mention their last.

His search was alleviated by the fact that the albums were arranged in alphabetical order by artist, so he only needed to look through the A section. Thumbing through the section, he mentally listed off the artists found, but ultimately there was no ABBA to be found. Figuring it may not have been put in its proper place, he sighed and began to search through the next section. Sure enough, there were a few albums out of order.

 _Do I put them where they belong or leave it to the staff?_ he thought, holding a Donna Summer album that had wandered into the B section. As much as it wasn't his job, the temptation to put things back in their proper places was just too much. By the time he had reached the far end of the wall, he had started to become very familiar with the vast amount of disco artists this store hosted. Hell, he might impress Sav with some useless trivia because of this.

Steve was about to go and ask a worker if they had any ABBA albums in stock when a 'NEW RELEASE' sticker caught his attention, just barely poking out from behind all the disco records. Picking up the album, he saw a demonic figure depicted on the cover, silhouetted by the cloudy backdrop and illuminated on its flank by the moon that peeked from behind the clouds. The sky gave way to a fiery orange falling behind a mountain range. The demon wielded a whip-like chain, appearing to strike at the poor unfortunate soul that was wrapped in another set of chains and drowning in the sea. Across the bottom, he could read 'HOLY DIVER'. His attention drifted back up, where the band name was emblazoned in the top right corner.

"'DIO'?" he murmured. As in Ronnie James Dio? "That's right," he continued murmuring to himself. "He started a new band. This is their first album." He chuckled. "You're not disco, though. What are you doing here?"

He looked around the store, trying to find the rock and metal section from his vantage point. Once he spotted it, he made his way over and reached over to the D section where the album belonged when his hands brushed over another customer's.

"Oh, shit. Sorry, mate," he apologised, flushing with embarrassment.

"Nah, no problem." The guy sounded Irish. "People spot something they want at the same time and end up in each other's way. Happens more often than you think."

"If you say so," Steve answered, a little nervous.

The man smacked his forehead, then extended his hand. "Where's my manners? I'm Vivian."

Steve shook his hand, still jittery about talking to a complete stranger. "S-Steve."

"Nice to meet ya, mate," Vivian said. "England, yeah?" he asked, noting Steve's accent.

Steve gulped a little, nodded. "A-aye, Sheffield. Um, Ireland?"

"Northern, yep. Belfast."

"That's pretty cool." Steve wasn't sure what it was, but this Vivian character seemed rather interesting. Quite friendly too, but that went without saying. There was just something about him that was beginning to put him at ease. If only he could put his finger on it.

Vivian asked, "So how's America treating you?"

"Rather well," Steve answered. "It's not my first time here--"

"Me neither."

"--but it's always fun whenever me and my mates are here."

"Got a band?" When Steve gave him a surprised look, Vivian laughed. "Sorry, you just look like you belong with a guitar over your shoulder."

Blushing again, he sheepishly nodded. "I do. Have a band, I mean. My mates. And me. Me- me and my mates."

"Awesome," Vivian said, a smile forming. "I'm in a band myself. Just actually came out with an album."

"That's a coincidence, so did we," Steve said, beginning to smile himself. "This past January." Recording said album had not been easy, no thanks to Pete, but with Phil in place at second guitar, everything had smoothed out.

"Cool! What's the album name? I'll give it a listen."

"Pryo-- erm, Pyromania." He gestured to the section they had both reached for earlier. "Should be in that section." He watched as Vivian began to search through the records. "I was actually about to- put this there," he murmured, referring to the DIO album he still held. "It got lost in the disco area for- some reason. I-I was looking in there for... something for one of my mates. I'm not-- uh, not really... I don't really do disco," he finally got out, a nervous chuckle escaping.

Vivian chuckled as well. "Yeah, disco's not really my thing either, but more power to those that like it. Ah, found it! I think." He pulled out the album partway before stopping. "No way."

"Hmm?"

"No fucking way." Vivian turned his attention to Steve, awestruck. "You're in Def Leppard?"

At this rate, Steve's face would be able to fry food with how hot and flushed it had been since bumping into Vivian. Ew, now that's a gross thought. He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "Heh, yeah. That-- that's us. Our band."

Vivian looked ecstatic. "Mate, you have no idea how long I've been meaning to check out your stuff, and--!" He snapped. "I thought you looked familiar too!"

"I'm recognisable?" The very thought seemed ludicrous.

"Yeah, MTV! Remember?" The Photograph video had been getting heavy rotation. "Steve, I have to tell you. It's- honestly an honour to actually meet you."

Steve had no idea what to make of the sentiment. It was one thing to hear it from random women and record label executives and sarcastic assholes, but to hear it from a stranger in a Californian record store so genuinely... It stunned him. Choked him up a little. When he finally remembered how to speak, all he could utter was a soft, "Thank you."

He momentarily forgot he was holding something, the album beginning to slip from his grasp, and he quickly made to catch it. Then he remembered that Vivian had said his own band had just put out an album. Swallowing, he ventured, "Um, you said you had an album out too?"

The light bemusement on the Irishman's face was clear as he smiled. "Mate, you're holding it."

Wait, what? Steve looked at the album, then back to Vivian. Now that he thought about it, he remembered seeing one 'Vivian Campbell' in the writing credits for Rainbow in the Dark when the video aired. "You're really _that_ Vivian?" was all he could bring himself to say.

Vivian nodded, smile widening, "The one and the same." He began to laugh. "What a coincidence, eh?"

Steve found himself laughing with him. "Yeah."

They continued to converse for another half hour before realising they needed to get back to their respective hotel rooms. Something something curfew blah blah. Both ultimately bought each other's albums, promising to give them a listen start to finish. Steve had to admit, there weren't many people he personally knew that he felt comfortable with. Those he was comfortable with comprised of mainly his bandmates and road crew, and it had taken a considerable time to grow that way. With Vivian, on the other hand, they just seemed to bounce off of each other very well, much like he did with Phil. He'd bonded with Phil rather quickly, and it seemed the same thing was happening again with Vivian. It felt good to make new friends like this, especially from a chance meeting. After all, it makes for an interesting story. Def Leppard's guitarist happens to bump into DIO's guitarist and they hit it off quite nicely.

"Hey Clarkey," Vivian said.

Steve was a little surprised at the sudden out-of-the-blue nickname, but coming from his new friend, he didn't mind. "What, Viv?"

It was Vivian's turn to blush. "What do you say we have a jam session sometime? We're in town for a couple more days."

Nodding, Steve replied, "And we ourselves just got here this morning. In fact, why not stop by my hotel room tomorrow?" He gestured to the hotel building he and his band were currently lodged at not far away. "I'll round up my mates too."

"Awesome, we're only a couple of blocks away! It's a date then." True, the meaning was very platonic, but it didn't stop the two men from blushing again. "How's 3 sound?"

"Sounds good."

They shook hands again before parting. "See you tomorrow, Steve!"

"Tomorrow it is, Vivian!"

As Steve walked back towards the hotel, he continued replaying the encounter in his head. It was definitely one of the better meetings he'd had so far in his life. He may not have known Vivian for very long, but he could already tell he was a great guy to be around. His bandmates would like him. The Casablanca line came to him, and he could tell it rang true. This was truly the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

He had just reached the door to his hotel room, the sounds of the others laughing at some joke Joe was telling, when he froze in his tracks, cursing.

He forgot about the ABBA album.


End file.
